That Red-Haired Guy
by missmakochan
Summary: That red-haired guy was nothing but trouble...maybe in a good way. (Rated T for some language) (completed)
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** Okay, so...to be completely honest, I don't really know where this story is going yet. Castiel is a bit of a difficult character to portray in writing. He's so simple, but so hard to write! Also, I made up the characters' last names and I actually think this story is going to be a bit AU and it's not really going to follow the actual game, though some events may be incorporated into the story as well.

Anyway, here's the first chapter. I hope all you readers out there will enjoy this ^_^ Reviews would be nice, too~ Let me know how I'm doing!

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><p>"Ew. I can't believe she thinks those socks are in style."<p>

Reina ignored the disgusted looks that the blonde girl, the Asian girl, and the brow-pierced girl threw at her. They loudly degraded Reina's sense of style as they passed by and they laughed. Reina simply shrugged and closed her locker as she exited the school to go home. Rena couldn't help but glance down at her thigh-high socks that she had paired with a pair of blue shoes, black denim shorts and a green panda shirt. Was it really that tacky? Reina thought back to the model who wore the same exact outfit on the cover of a fashion magazine that she'd seen at the store. She looked good in it, so why didn't Reina look the same? Reina sighed and decided that she didn't care as continued on her way home.

It was tough being a transfer student, especially when it's the middle of the school year. With her parents divorced—her mother was a photographer while her father as a cruise ship captain—Reina was given the choice of living with her mother in the city or with her father by the sea. Reina chose to live with her father, who decided to relocate to the east coast of the country. It wasn't that Reina hated her mother—it wasn't anything like that—but the choices that her mother was making seemed rather dangerous. Her father seemed like the safer choice for the time being.

The port city of Il Mare was home base for the Elegance cruise line, which was famous for its long cruise trips that could sometimes last up to six months. Elegance's cruise ships stopped at various exotic locations and most of the guests on those cruise ships were wealthy business moguls and retired millionaires.

Il Mare was a fairly large town that was trapped in between the mountains and the ocean. The weather was fairly pleasant, despite the fact that it sometimes rained during the fall season. There were a few schools in the area and a new mall had just been built by the beach to spark more income from tourists.

Reina lived alone in a small apartment on the fifteenth floor of an apartment complex that shot straight up like a skyscraper. Reina didn't mind living alone; she thought of herself lucky. Why have your own room when you can have your own apartment? It was practically hers, anyway. Reina was thankful that her father provided for her; his checks were sent to their mailbox at the post office and Reina's father gave her the responsibility of depositing his paycheck into the bank in his absence. She bought her own groceries and paid the rent, electricity, and internet bills.

Her father, Mr. Belle, came home for a week and a half once every three months. Reina loved it when he came home—which was something she surprised herself with—not because he brought home souvenirs, but because he always came home with a hug. Reina sighed as she lay in bed and stared at the dark ceiling as she collected her thought of what had happened in the past few days.

Two days ago, Reina had enrolled into Sweet Amoris High School as a junior. The class president, a slender blonde named Nathaniel, helped her with the papers. Reina made her first friends: an orange-haired girl named Iris and a brunette named Melody. She ran into a nerdy boy named Kentin; his name sounded vaguely familiar but the only thing Reina remembered about him was that he was a childhood friend who moved away because of his father, who was in the military. Reina cringed at Kentin's actions—he seemed a little too eager to be of help.

Yesterday was Reina's first full day of classes. She had a fairly easy schedule: algebra, geography and world cultures, P.E., biology, culinary arts, and health. Reina was glad that she had at least three of her six classes with Iris and Melody. The day went fairly smoothly but Reina was disappointed that there were only a handful of teachers who taught various subjects; Sweet Amoris was very different from her old school. At her old school, there were departments and there were a lot of teachers who taught a lot of subjects. What wasn't different, though, was the fact that haters were everywhere. Reina accidentally bumped into a blonde hair girl and she quietly apologized for the accidental contact. The girl, however, made such a big deal about it that Reina just turned around and walked away. Reina could tell that the girl was royally _pissed_ because she was shouting at the top of her lungs while childishly stomping her foot on the ground,

"My name is Amber Diana L'auville! You don't know who you're messing with!"

Amber's two followers, Li and Charlotte, made no effort to calm her down; Li was busy fixing her lipstick and Charlotte's attention was focused elsewhere.

As Reina exited the halls, she bumped into someone's back and an ungracious grunt escaped from her lips. Embarassed, Reina covered her mouth and she looked up to see who she had bumped into.

"I'm sorry."

Reina looked up and met dark eyes.

"Who're you? I've never seen you around here before."

"Well, if you haven't seen me before, then, obviously, I'm new here."

The red haired male blinked as if a thought was processing through his mind, and then he smirked, turning around to face Reina.

"I'm Castiel."

"I'm Reina Belle."

"Belle, huh? I'll remember that."

Reina squeezed her eyes shut and rolled onto her stomach, her cheeks feeling hot from the memory of meeting Castiel. Reina chuckled, chiding herself for feeling embarrassed with her encounter with Castiel. It's too bad that her father had left last night—they could've had a good laugh about Amber and her friends. Reina sighed and turned on her iphone, turning on some music and falling asleep to a soft ballad.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Well, here's chapter 2! I'm still not sure where this is going buuuuuut...it'll definitely be an adventure and a challenge! Hope you readers enjoy~

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><p>"Miss Reina? May I have a word?"<p>

Reina stopped and turned around to greet the principle with a smile.

"Yes, ma'am?"

The principal sighed and patted Reina's head.

"You're such a sweetie. Anyway, I wanted to inform you that all students are required to join a club at Sweet Amoris."

Reina deadpanned; she wasn't very fond of…_school clubs_.

"Oh…really?"

The principal nodded as she flipped through her clipboard,

"Unfortunately, there are only two clubs that are accepting members at the moment—the basketball club and the gardening club."

Reina mentally grimaced at the choices. She wasn't very athletic and she didn't like the idea of gardening at school. Neither of these clubs suited her.

"Do I _have_ to join a club?" Reina asked.

The principal's eyes flashed and they seemed to darken. Reina swore she saw the principal clenching her fists. Deciding that she valued her life more than comfort, Reina sighed and nodded in understanding. The principal cheerfully directed Reina to the student government office before disappearing into her office. Reina slowly opened the door to the office and poked her head inside; Nathaniel and Melody were casually talking about something school related as they organized a pile of papers.

"Um, hey, Nathaniel?"

Nathaniel's head snapped up and he smiled brightly at Reina; Melody's brows furrowed slightly but she smiled politely at Reina.

"Hi, Reina. How can I help you?"

Reina let herself into the room and stood awkwardly as Nathaniel and Melody stared at her.

"…where's the basketball club?"

Nathaniel's smile faltered slightly and he returned to his paperwork.

"I'm afraid I don't know. That _guy_ might know, though."

Reina frowned slightly. There were a lot of guys at school so it didn't help that Nathaniel said such a vague thing.

"He means Castiel," Melody chimed.

"Castiel?" Reina searched her mind for a face to match the name, "Oh, _Castiel_. Thanks, Melody."

Reina easily found Castiel; it was hard to miss his blood-red hair. He was exactly where she'd met him the other day, resting against the trunk of the giant tree in the courtyard. The giant tree stood at the very edge of the courtyard and Castiel seemed to like quiet places. Castiel's eyes flashed with boredom when he saw Reina approaching him.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I heard you know where the basketball club is."

Castiel scoffed and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Basketball doesn't really seem to be your thing."

Reina rolled her eyes and shifted her weight onto one leg as Castiel's eyes examined her form.

"Well, I need you to show me where it is. The principal seems like she's going to chop off my head if I don't get into a club."

Castiel chuckled and popped the earbuds from his ear, wrapping them around his phone and tucking it into his pocket. He stood and Reina was suddenly aware of how tall Castiel was. Castiel took a step forward, popping Reina's personal bubble, and looked down at her, a small smirk gracing his lips.

"I don't do favors for free. What do I get in return of showing you where the club is?"

Reina returned Castiel's gaze and quietly exhaled as she slightly took a few steps back.

"Not much; just the privilege of being in my presence."

Castiel was silent for a moment. He flashed Reina a smirk and nodded towards the gym.

"This way, Belle."

"Belle?" Reina echoed, "That's not my name."

Castiel casually glanced back at Reina,

"It's a part of your name, isn't it? Besides, it's catchy. Hurry up or else I'm going to leave you behind."

Reina wasn't sure how she felt about the nickname; she'd never had one before. She supposed it was better than forgetting her name.

The gym looked like a typical gym, except that no one was in there; it was completely empty.

"So…this is the basketball club."

"Yup. This is why I joined. Great, huh?"

"Mm-hmm." Reina nodded, agreeing with Castiel.

"But since you're here, might as well put you to use."

"What? But you—"

"The club is missing five basketballs. Go look for them and don't even think about asking me for help."

Reina deadpanned and her shoulders slumped.

"You just said there were no other members."

"I didn't say that. I just said they weren't here, dummy."

Reina frowned and Castiel turned on his heel, leaving Reina alone in the gym. Quickly glancing around the gym, Reina decided that she would be useful and did as Castiel said, which was to search for the missing basketballs.

An hour and a half later, Reina found the last basketball in a drawer in one of the classrooms. She didn't know how it got there but she was eager to return it to the gym. When she opened the door, she saw someone in a red basketball jersey practicing three-pointers. Reina wasn't sure if he was a student from the school or not—the school colors were blue and white—so she quietly put the ball away, hoping to leave unnoticed. Her hope was shattered when a basketball came rolling her way and the basketball player came jogging towards her. Reina picked up the basketball and handed it to the player.

"Thanks," he flashed her a brilliant smile, "I hope you don't mind me. I'm not from this school but my school gym is busy so I decided to come here."

Reina returned his smile,

"It's fine. Have fun."

"Actually, can you do a favor for me? I lost my necklace but I think it's somewhere on campus. Could you look for it while I practice?"

"Um—"

"Thanks!"

Reina watched in disbelief as the dark-haired basketball player jogged back while easily dribbling the basketball beside him. Reina crossed her arms and left the gym, wondering if she seemed like a girl who was easy to boss around.

Just as Reina entered the school, she heard Amber, Li, and Charlotte giggling in one of the classrooms.

"Yeah, that basketball guy was totally cute. I totally took his necklace, though; he didn't seem to miss it at all."

The voice sounded like Amber.

"Think of it as a souvenir from Il Mare Public High."

"I put it in my locker so I don't lose it. I haven't memorized my locker combination yet, though, so I didn't close the locker all the way. I'll just grab it before I leave."

Reina glanced at the lockers and quickly scanned them until she spotted one that wasn't closed all the way. Concluding it was Amber's locker, Reina reached into the locker and quickly found the necklace. She quickly turned around and left, nearly bumping into the visiting basketball player.

"Oh, it's you! And you found my necklace!"

Rena hurriedly gave the necklace back and the basketball player waved to her as he walked away, dribbling his basketball beside him. Deciding that she'd had enough excitement for one day, Reina sighed and scratched her head as she headed towards the entrance of campus. She couldn't wait to take off her shoes and take a long nap. She stumbled backwards when someone grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.

"Where're you going?"

Reina looked back and saw that it was Castiel.

"I'm going home," she stated.

"I bet that loser hasn't shown you around the school yet, huh?" Reina wondered whom Castiel was referring to but she shook her head in response to Castiel's question, "Let's go. I'll take you to a secret spot."

The secret spot turned out to the school's rooftop. Reina was amazed by the sight that greeted her when she emerged from the stairs. Reina could see the ocean in the distance and she even saw her apartment building from where she was standing. She could see the various neighborhoods and the stores as well as the park that was in the middle of everything.

"It's beautiful!" Reina gasped, "Won't you get in trouble, though?"

Castiel shrugged and stared out at the ocean for a moment before suggesting that they head out.


	3. Chapter 3

Castiel was daydreaming. Reina couldn't help but steal glances at the red head as Mr. Faraize lectured on photosynthesis. Castiel usually didn't pay attention in class and he always had a bored expression on his face. This time, his expression seemed to be full of nostalgia. Reina wondered what he was thinking about.

"Miss Belle, your answer?"

Reina stiffened at the sound of her name being called.

"Um...three?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Belle, but I'm afraid the number three is not the third step in photosynthesis. I suggest you pay attention. This may be on the upcoming midterm."

"I'm sorry."

Reina glanced at Castiel and she blushed when he smirked at her. She quickly turned away, embarrassed. So he was paying attention!

The day was full of rough patches. There was a pop quiz in math (Ken complained that it was too easy) and Violet accidentally spilled some chemicals all over the table in chemistry lab, effectively destroying Reina's chemistry notebook. Though she was glad to see it destroyed, Reina was disappointed because it was a bad time of the year to be destroying schoolwork, especially with midterms fast approaching. Reina forgave Violet for the accident and assured her that everything was fine.

Reina sighed as she stood by her locker. She was blankly staring at the stack of books in the locker while wondering if her day was going to get any better.

"Reina! Can you help me with something?"

"Sure, Nathaniel."

As she helped Nathaniel carry a large pile of folders to the student council room, Reina realized that this was her first time being alone with the blonde.

"How are you liking it here, Reina?"

Nathaniel gave her a friendly smile.

"It's not too bad. I'm still adjusting to life here in Il Mare."

"I see. Was life different where you used to live?"

"Oh, yes."

Reina went off on a ramble about her previous location before she talked about why she moved to Il Mare. She also talked about her old school and how it compared and contrasted to Sweet Amoris. She stopped when they got to the student council room and she blushed, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Nathaniel. I didn't mean to talk so much."

Nathaniel chuckled,

"It's fine. Really, it is. I feel like I got to know you a bit more."

"But I talked so much that I didn't even get to ask about you, or why you and Castiel hate each other so much."

Reina immediately clamped her mouth shut. That last part wasn't supposed to be said out loud.

Nathaniel sighed and his eyes shifted downwards towards the ground.

"You noticed, huh?"

"Well, it's kind of obvious. You two are worse than cats and dogs."

Nathaniel chuckled softly as if he were remembering a distant memory.

"It's complicated, and Castiel is difficult. Maybe I'll tell you about it some other day."

Reina nodded, taking the cue to leave, and Nathaniel thanked her as she left. She ran into Castiel on the way out.

Well, speak of the devil.

"I bet you have a dog, don't you?"

"What kind of question is that?"

Reina shrugged and followed him as he went out of the building.

"So you and Nathaniel..."

"What about that punk?"

"Why don't you like him?"

Castiel whirled around, anger and annoyance flashing in his eyes,

"That's none of your business."

Reina faltered as Castiel walked towards his favorite tree. He hastily pulled out his iphone and inserted the ear buds into his ears. Reina went to sit on the opposite side of the tree trunk, leaning against the wood.

"Why were you with him, anyway?"

Reina glanced at Castiel; he wasn't looking at her. Reina smiled slightly and she turned her attention to the sky.

"I was being a friend. He's much nicer than you are."

Castiel snorted and turned his music up. Reina wondered if he was trying to ignore her. She stood up, brushed the dirt from her shorts, and went back into the school.

Reina was greeted by Amber, who was leaning against Reina's locker.

"What are you doing?" Amber asked.

"I'm getting my things to go home."

"I'm talking about Castiel. Why are you talking to my man?"

Reina nearly choked on her own spit.

"Your man? Castiel never mentioned anything about being in a relationship with you."

Amber moved away from Reina's locker and she clenched her hands into fists.

"There's no reason for him to announce it. Anyway, you've got a lot of nerve talking so freely to him."

Reina quickly grabbed her things and closed her locker, locking it.

"Look, I'm not interested in 'your man.' You can have him, for all I care."

Reina turned to walk away but Amber grabbed her shoulder and pushed her against the lockers.

"How dare you disrespect Castiel?!"

"Who says I'm disrespecting him?!"

Amber's hand reeled back and Reina tried to move but she found that her legs were frozen in place. Reina froze in amazement; was she actually scared of Amber? It couldn't be!

Amber's hand never connected with Reina's face.

"Now, now, ladies, there's no need to fight over me."

"Castiel!" The girls gasped in unison.

Castiel let go of Amber's hand and she staggered a few steps back.

"Castiel, what are you doing?" Amber snapped impatiently.

Reina blushed furiously when Castiel wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her flush against him.

"You didn't know? Reina's my girlfriend."

"What?!"

Amber's eyes burned with anger and humiliation. Reina was speechless and her face was red. Castiel glanced down at her as smirked.

"You're cute when you blush."

Reina blushed even more while Amber fumed with anger. Castiel casually arched his brow at her while keeping Reina close. Amber screamed with frustration and stormed out of the building.

Reina peeked up at Castiel. He wasn't looking at her but he was looking at the door where Amber stormed out.

"So...you do like her?"

Castiel turned his attention to her and laughed.

"You almost got beat up by Amber, and the first thing you ask is if I like Amber? You can't be serious."

"Answer my question, please. And you can let me go now."

Castiel jerked away from Reina and she cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure.

"She's not my type."

"Then who's your type?"

Castiel chuckled and ruffled Reina's hair before coolly walking away.


	4. Chapter 4

Reina could barely contain her excitement as she walked down the grocery aisles and picked up some seasonings before heading to the meat section to pick up some meat. She hummed to herself as she picked up some beef and chicken wings and she pushed the cart down the aisle. Her father was coming home! She paid for her groceries at the cashier and carried her groceries out of the store in a large paper bag. She hummed an upbeat song and occasionally sang the lyrics as she strolled down the sidewalk. She heard loud barking behind her and she turned around, wondering what breed of dog had such a loud bark. She was surprised to see Castiel walking a large dog.

"Castiel? I swear, you're stalking me."

The red head frowned as he approached,

"In your dreams, Belle."

His dog eagerly sniffed the bag in Reina's arms. Reina reached out to touch the dog and she stopped when it sniffed her hand before nuzzling it with its wet nose. Reina giggled and she scratched the dog's ears.

"That's weird. He likes you."

Reina deadpanned at Castiel's surprised tone.

"Whatever. Your dog probably reflects your true feeling towards me."

Castiel bit back a smirk.

"Demon has his own opinions."

"So that's his name? How scary."

Castiel chuckled softly as Demon walked alongside Reina, occasionally nudging her legs with his nose and brushing his head against her hands.

"Where are you going?" Castiel asked.

"I'm going home. I live on the other side of the park."

Castiel nodded at the bag in Reina's arms,

"What's with that?"

Reina smiled, almost dreamily, and Castiel hated how his face felt a little too warm to his liking.

"My dad's coming home! He's been away for a while but he's finally coming home for a few days."

"You actually like your parents? You're just like everyone else. To think that I almost thought you were different."

Reina's smile faded.

"You don't like your parents?"

"Hell no," Castiel scoffed, "I'm legally independent. I don't need them in my life. Besides, they've got lives of their own."

Reina felt a little sad for Castiel.

They entered the park and Demon barked excitedly at the squirrels. Castiel let go of the leash and Demon chased several squirrels up a tree. Castiel kept his pace alongside Reina.

"So tell me, why do you love your dad so much?"

Reina gave Castiel a look that made him wonder if he had asked a stupid question.

"He's all I have. My parents are divorced because my mom made some really bad choices for the family so my dad and I left my mom. My dad moved here for a job; he's always taken good care of me eve since I was a baby."

"So you're a daddy's girl."

"More or less," Reina winked at him, "but if it weren't for my dad, I wouldn't be who I am today. I'd probably be someone who was destroying my own life..."

Castiel pursed his lips; he didn't like this serious tone. As if on cue, Demon came running full speed towards Castiel and Reina and he slammed into Reina. She screamed as her body fell forward and Castiel grunted when she fell into his chest, his arms automatically coming around her to steady her body.

Castiel cursed, feeling awkward at their closeness, and he scolded Demon.

"Damn it, Demon, watch where you're going!"

Demon whimpered sadly and hung his head in apology. Reina stumbled backwards, blushing, but she patted Demon's head.

"It's okay, it was an accident."

Demon's ears happily perked up and he snuggled up against Reina's legs. She giggled and kissed his nose. Castiel didn't know why, but he was suddenly jealous of Demon.

"Hey, Castiel, can I come over and play with Demon sometime?"

Castiel tried to remain calm,

"Yeah, whatever. Knock yourself out."

"Really? Thanks!"

Reina smiled brightly as she waved goodbye and walked away. Demon barked and Castiel shot a glare at the dog.

"Shut up! I do _not_ like her!"

When Reina got home, she immediately started cooking. She prepped the ingredients and excitedly set up the plates while she waited for the food to cook. Moments later, Reina heard the front door open and she ran towards the door, running into her father's open arms.

"Welcome home, dad!"

"Hi, baby!"

Reina's father kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly. He sniffed the air and pulled away, closing the door with his foot. Reina pulled her father's suitcase out of the way as her father took off his shoes.

"You're right on time, dad. The food just finished cooking."

"Great timing, Reina, because I'm starving!"

Reina laughed as she and her father went to the dining room.

Reina's father whistled appreciatively as Reina plated the food and set it down on the table. She had made barbecue chicken wings and Asian style wings as well as spaghetti with meat sauce and a salad. There was also garlic bread and water.

"You haven't lost your touch at all, Reina."

Reina's father sighed happily as he tore apart a chicken wing and took a bite of spaghetti. Reina grinned,

"Thanks, dad. I've been practicing just for you."

Reina's father put his hand over his heart,

"You're wonderful. Please don't ever get married."

Reina laughed at her father.


	5. Chapter 5

So Reina, how's school?"

"Terrible. They made me join a non-existent basketball team and there's this posse of bullied at school that consists of three girls. Other than that, everything's great."

Reina's father sighed and patted Reina's head in sympathy.

"I'm glad you've made it this far. You're definitely growing up to be a beautiful young woman."

Reina's arm was linked with her father's as they strolled through the park. They headed for a small restaurant and ate lunch there.

"This food isn't as good as yours, Reina." Her father sighed sadly.

"Stop it, dad! You can't be picky with what you eat!"

Reina's father chuckled and he took a bite of his burger.

"So, tell me, Reina; are there any boys you're interested in?"

Reina chewed her food thoughtfully. Castiel was an obvious choice; Nathaniel was a potential. Ken and Lysander...not so much.

"Well...there is someone, I guess. He's interesting."

Reina's father clicked his tongue,

"That poor boy. He's going to be dead meat tonight."

Reina laughed and she playfully nudged her father's side with her elbow.

"I don't like him like that, dad. He's just interesting, that's all."

"You say that now, dear, but before you know it, you'll be head over heels for him. What's his name, anyway?"

"Castiel."

"Interesting choice of name."

Reina paused in her steps when she saw Castiel sitting at a cafe table with Lysander. They seemed to be having a serious conversation about something. Castiel's gaze flicked to hers and Reina looked away, hoping he didn't notice her staring. Lysander followed Castiel's gaze and he smiled at Reina before turning his attention back to Castiel and resuming the conversation.

"Is that him?" Reina's father noticed.

"He's the red head. The other guy is his friend, Lysander."

"Hmm," Reina's father mused, "they look like rockers."

Reina shrugged; she never considered that information before. Reina and her father walked through downtown Il Mare and ate dinner at a nearby soup restaurant before strolling through the park and returning home.

Reina sadly watched as her father packed up his suitcase. She couldn't believe that it had already been a week and a half; it flew by way too fast.

"I wish you could work from home."

Reina's father smiled ruefully,

"Me, too. I'd never starve if I worked from home."

Reina rolled her eyes but she couldn't fight the tears that rolled down her cheeks. Reina's father hugged her tightly and he kissed her forehead.

"I miss you already, dad."

"I miss you, too, Reina. Don't forget to pay the bills this month."

Reina saluted her dad,

"Yes, sir."


	6. Chapter 6

Reina was curious as to why there was a commotion in the hallways. As she got closer to the crowd, Reina saw that everyone was crowded around a girl with brunette and pink hair and interesting clothing. She had tattoos and she smiled brightly while speaking in a sugar-sweet voice. To Reina's dismay, Castiel was standing right next to her.

"You haven't changed at all, kitten~" the girl purred.

Kitten?! Reina's mouth dropped in mild disgust but Castiel said nothing, letting the girl brush up against him. Reina frowned; she didn't like how the girl stood so close to Castiel. Iris saw Reina and she pulled her into the crowd.

"Oh, Reina, you're here! This is Deborah. Deborah, this is Reina."

The brunette girl flashed her sugar sweet smile,

"Reina, huh? What a cute name. It's nice to meet you!"

"Yeah...same here."

Reina felt uneasy; there was something about Deborah that triggered a red flag in Reina's mind.

"It's been so long since I've been to Sweet Amoris. Let's go walk around, kitten~"

Castiel led the way as Deborah walked beside him. Reina felt her blood boiling as she went to her locker and put her backpack away.

"Who is she, anyway?" Reina mumbled.

"You don't know? That's Castiel's ex-girlfriend."

Reina was surprised to see Amber, Li, and Charlotte standing by her locker.

"Ex-girlfriend?"

"That's right; ex-girlfriend. She and Castiel used to be in a band together but she broke up with him to pursue a career in music. I hate her."

Reina hated to agree with Amber, but she didn't like Deborah either. Reina hoped that her reasoning behind her dislike went beyond jealousy. Reina slammed her locker shut a bit harder than usual before she went to class.

Deborah appeared at school the next day, too. Reina felt uncomfortable when Deborah approached her.

"So you're the new girl here? How's everyone treating you so far?"

Reina shrugged, trying to keep her emotions in check,

"Everyone's nice to me, especially Iris and Nathaniel."

Deborah chuckled but there was something condescending in her tone.

"Really? Oh, those two..."

Reina arched her brow,

"What about them?"

"They're wonderful people."

Deborah winked at Reina.

"Deborah."

Deborah skipped over to Castiel and linked her arm with his.

"Hi, kitten~ I was wondering where you were."

Reina's brows furrowed with frustration. Castiel didn't even look at her when Deborah was around.

"What's wrong, Reina? You look seriously ticked off."

Alexy casually wrapped his arm around Reina's shoulder. Reina didn't look at him but continued staring at Deborah and Castiel as they walked out the door.

"There's something fishy about Deborah. I don't trust her."

"Funny, Rosalya said the exact same thing."

Reina looked up at the blue-haired boy,

"Amber said that Deborah and Castiel used to date before she left him for a career."

"Yeah, she's the lead singer for a popular rock band. I borrowed their cd from Melody; she's got an average voice."

Reina sighed and her thoughts wandered to Castiel.

"I wonder if she wants to get back together with Castiel..."

Alexy smiled knowingly,

"You'd better step up your game, Reina!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Alexy playfully winked at Reina before turning on his heel and walking away.

Reina's thoughts were troubled as Deborah continued visiting Sweet Amoris. She was especially concerned when Castiel showed up to school in different clothing.

"What are you wearing?!" Reina exclaimed.

"Deborah likes it."

Reina frowned and said nothing as Castiel walked away, probably to look for Deborah. Reina went in the opposite direction, hoping that her day would continue on in peace; she was tired of thinking about Deborah. Unfortunately, Deborah came looking for her.

"I heard you've been asking around for me."

Reina bit her lip; Deborah's voice was friendly but there was a predatory glow in her blue eyes.

"I was curious as to who you are."

"Why don't you ask me yourself?"

"You're a difficult person to track down."

Deborah smiled, almost proudly, and she took a few steps closer to Reina.

"Got your eyes set on Castiel, huh? That's too bad, because I'm taking him with me."

Reina's eyes widened in surprise.

"What do you mean? What are you planning?"

Deborah's eyes flicked away for a moment and she paused before covering her face with her hands. Reina was confused for a moment but her expression changed into shock when Deborah started crying.

"I don't understand why you're accusing me of being bad!"

"What? I never said anything like that!"

"I just wanted to be friends with you, Reina!"

Reina panicked; what was Deborah doing?

Reina was filled with horror when Castiel appeared out of nowhere and pulled Deborah into his arms. He seemed almost murderous as he glared at Reina.

"What did you do?!" He demanded.

"I didn't do anything!"

"Bullshit! You made her cry!"

Reina flinched at Castiel's angry tone.

"Reina? You made Deborah cry?"

Reina turned around and saw Violet, Kim, Melody, Iris, and Lysander. Their faces were filled with disappointment and they immediately flocked over to Deborah.

"I was just trying to start a conversation but...but...she accused me of hating her!" Melody and Iris comforted Deborah as she wailed loudly. Kim and Lysander shook their heads disapprovingly as Violet's eyes welled with tears.

"I expected better from you, Reina." Lysander sighed.

Reina was speechless as the group walked away. Deborah managed to glance back and Reina's blood boiled when Deborah flashed a sly smile.

Rosalya, Alexy, and Armin sat in silence as Reina retold the situation.

"Wow. Just...wow." Armin whistled.

"I don't know what to do," Reina sighed, "everyone hates me."

"Don't worry, Reina! I found hard evidence. I was doing some research on Deborah and I found a blog belonging to a former bandmate who used to be a part of Deborah's band. Apparently, Deborah manipulates people and disposes of them after she's used them. It would explain why she dumped Castiel in the first place."

Reina frowned and her heart fluttered uneasily. How was she going to redeem herself? Deborah seemed to have the upper hand and the situation seemed hopeless. It was later that day that Reina bumped into Nathaniel in the student council room.

"Why aren't you with Deborah?" Reina asked.

Nathaniel shifted uncomfortably,

"I, ah...it's best if I don't go near her."

"Why's that? Did she frame you, too?"

Reina was only half joking when she said it but she didn't expect Nathaniel to tense up at her question.

"...Yes. Yes, she did," Nathaniel looked at Reina, "Do you remember what you asked me? About why Castiel hates me? It's because of Deborah. Castiel won't believe me, but Deborah was flirting with me while she and Castiel were dating. He saw us together and he thought that I was hitting on her."

Reina felt her blood boiling again.

"That's terrible!"

Nathaniel simply sighed and response and twirled the pen in his fingers,

"There's nothing I can do about it. We've never liked each other even before then, but that incident only made him hate me more."

Reina pursed her lips as Nathaniel quietly resumed with his work. Something had to be done; Deborah needed to be exposed for who she really was.

It was after school when Reina found Castiel; it had been a while since she'd seen him alone.

"Hi."

"Hey."

Reina nervously tugged at the hem of her shirt.

"About Deborah..."

"You don't need to explain yourself. What's done is done," Reina frowned; Castiel paused before speaking again, "Deborah offered me a position in her band for lead guitarist. I'm thinking of accepting it."

"What? But-"

"It's a chance of a lifetime. I'm not going to miss this opportunity."

Reina took a deep breath and straightened.

"Castiel, do you really know who Deborah is?"

Castiel's eyes narrowed dangerously,

"I've known her longer than you have. You have no right to be talking about her like this."

"She's playing you, Castiel. She's playing everyone!"

She gasped sharply when Castiel roughly grabbed her arm.

"You don't know anything about her," he hissed."

Reina couldn't help it; her eyes overflowed with hot tears and she pried her arm from his grip.

"Why won't you believe me? I'm trying to protect you!"

Castiel watched as Reina ran back into the school. He cursed loudly and punched the wall, hating how his heart constricted. Reina wasn't paying attention as she stumbled in the hallway, her tears blinding her vision. Nathaniel caught her and Reina buried her face in his chest. Nathaniel sighed, knowing the source behind her tears, and he gently patted Reina's head as she cried.


	7. Chapter 7

Reina felt defeated as she arrived to school early the next morning but she knew she couldn't give up just yet. Yesterday, Nathaniel shared a plan with Reina but he didn't reveal the details.

"Try to get her into the teachers' lounge. I'll leave the room open for you."

Reina wasn't sure what Nathaniel meant by that, but she decided to trust him.

She put her things away in her locker and walked down the hall. She stopped when she heard a familiar voice and she peeked into the science lab. It was Deborah and she was talking to someone on the phone.

"Of course he's going to sign! He'd do anything for me. No, no, he's not going to back out. Trust me, this guy is an idiot. In fact, I'm literally surrounded by idiots at the moment. Anyway, I'll update you later when I get his answer."

Reina ducked away and scrambled down the stairs. Deborah emerged from the stairs and smirked at Reina.

"I know you were listening. There's nothing you can do about it, Belle. That's your name, isn't it? Kitten likes to call you that for some reason."

Reina clenched her fists and watched silently as Deborah strutted away.

Reina yelped in surprise when Armin and Rosalya pulled her aside behind a wall.

"Don't worry, Reina! We have a plan!" Rosalya whispered.

Armin and Reina peeked out from behind the wall and saw a tall black-haired man dressed in a sharp suit enter the building. Reina recognized him to be Rosalya's boyfriend, Leigh. Deborah was immediately attracted to his presence and he approached her. They talked for a moment-Reina couldn't really hear what they were talking about-but she cringed when Deborah pressed her body against his. Armin sharply sucked in his breath and Rosalya curiously tried to peek around the wall.

"What's happening now?" She asked.

"Uhh-"

Rosalya's eyes widened when she caught a glimpse of what was happening and it took both Armin and Reina to restrain Rosalya, who was cursing and kicking.

The trio approached Leigh after Deborah disappeared down the hall. It wasn't long before Deborah reappeared, though she didn't look too happy to see Reina.

"All right! I ended my contract with my ex-manager. Shall we go then?"

"I don't think so!" Rosalya pointed an accusing finger at Deborah, "You were flirting with my boyfriend!"

"Boyfriend? What are you talking about?"

"I saw it, too." Armin chimed.

Deborah glanced uneasily at Leigh.

"You're kidding, right? He said he was from a famous company and-"

"I'm sorry, but I lied. I was told that you needed to be taught a lesson."

"Taught a lesson?" Deborah's eyes narrowed dangerously at Reina, "I see."

With a shout, Deborah sprang towards Reina but she quickly moved out of the way and sprinted down the hallway with Deborah hot on her heels. She remembered Nathaniel's words and headed straight for the teachers' lounge.

Reina jumped when Deborah closed the door behind her and cornered Reina.

"You...you've been nothing but a nuisance since I got here."

"You're the one who's a nuisance. Everyone thinks you're a good girl when you're actually not!" Reina snapped.

Deborah laughed; if it weren't for her nasty attitude, her laugh would actually be a pleasant sound.

"A good girl? Don't be ridiculous. You can't be a good girl _and_ be successful at the same time. It's a shame this school is full of idiots who can't understand that rule. Only the strong survive, don't you know?"

"Castiel trusted you!"

"He's the biggest idiot ever! You just don't know how gullible he is. One look, and he's hooked. I'm not the one to share the spotlight. Besides, Castiel is just a stepping stone to success."

"You're heartless."

"Now, now, that's not entirely true. I'm just a victim of circumstances. Now then, to make sure you never bother me again..."

Deborah grabbed a fistful of Reina's hair and Reina shouted in pain as Deborah pushed her against the wall.

"I've never had to use violence before, but I suppose there's always a first for everything."

"You won't get away with this!"

Reina winced when Deborah dug her nails into Reina'a scalp.

"Oh, but I will. I've got everyone wrapped around my finger."

Reina braced herself for the worst but nothing happened. Deborah's eyes were fixated on something and she gasped sharply before running out of the room. Reina wondered what Deborah saw and her eyes widened when she saw a little red light glowing; it was an indication that the loudspeaker was on and that their entire conversation had been broadcasted throughout the entire school.

"Nathaniel, you're a genius." Reina sighed happily.

When she emerged from the room, Deborah was pleading with everyone, her eyes watery and her voice earnest.

"I was being blackmailed! Reina threatened to hurt me if I didn't say those mean things!"

Iris glanced at Reina and frowned,

"You think we're all idiots?" She asked sadly.

Everyone else was silent, their eyes clouded with confusion and mistrust. Deborah was growing frustrated. She shrank when Castiel approached.

"Castiel...Kitten~"

Castiel wasn't in the mood for nicknames.

"Leave. Don't ever show your face around here again."

Deborah was silent; she started to cry and covered her face with her hands. When no one responded to her crying, Deborah screamed in anger and stormed out of the school.

Everyone dispersed as an awkward silence filled the air. Castiel had disappeared. Forgetting her messy appearance, Reina searched the campus for Castiel. She found him in the garden; he was staring at a patch of forget-me-nots.

"Castiel, are you all right?"

Castiel didn't bother turning to look at her.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you, Reina. I'm sorry I..."

Castiel turned to leave. Reina reached out and wrapped her arms around Castiel from behind and she buried her face in his coat.

"It's all right. It's over now."

Castiel's hand covered Reina's and they stood there for a moment before Castiel in clasped her hands from his torso and he walked away.


	8. Chapter 8

"Tsundere!"

Castiel blinked for a few moments before narrowing his eyes.

"The hell you talking about? Get your finger out of my face!"

Castiel swatted Reina's finger away and he got up from his spot by the tree, waking away.

"Admit it! You're rough and tough in public but deep down inside, you're a nice guy with a soft side."

Castiel laughed and he turned to face Reina, who had followed him without missing a beat.

"And where did you get that fancy little idea from, Belle? A chick flick?"

"Actually, I got it from a manga. I just started getting into it and-"

Castiel groaned as he started walking towards the gym. Reina followed him while continuing her ramble about the girl-oriented Japanese comic books she'd found at the bookstore. He rolled his eyes when Reina gushed about how the tsundere was the most romantic type of guy.

"You like that kind of stuff, Belle? No wonder you're single."

"Hey! I'm not saying anything about the absence of your love life!"

Castiel chuckled and he suddenly turned around; Reina bumped into his chest and she murmured an apology.

Reina still couldn't get over the fact that Castiel was tall. She blushed slightly when he leaned in. He pinched her nose and Reina yelped in pain.

"I do have a love life. Who needs girls when you've got a guitar waiting for you at home?"

Reina pouted and Castiel continued on to the gym. She watched as he went over to the basketball rack and picked up a basketball, casually dribbling it towards the hoop. He shot the ball but frowned when it hit the backboard and bounced off the rim. Reina laughed and she went for the rebound, coming around the hoop and easily shooting a three. Castiel stared at her in surprise as she tossed the ball towards him.

"Your turn."

Castiel dribbled the ball and shot it, growling in frustration when it missed and Reina went for the rebound, tossing it in with a swish.

"You really are a tsundere, Castiel."

Castiel scoffed and took off his jacket and tossed it to the side as he approached Reina.

"Let's go then, me and you, one-on-one."

"Don't hold back."

Reina winked at him and Castiel ignored the fact that his heart skipped a beat. He dribbled and faked a left, easily cutting across the court and tossing the ball into the hoop in a layup. Reina quickly got the rebound and took the ball back, shooting a basket from the three-point line.

"Not bad, Belle."

"Thanks. I learned from my dad."

Reina drove across the court but Castiel stole the ball, took it back, and went in for a drive. He went in for a layup but Reina went up to block him. He got the ball into the hoop but he cursed when he fell forward and he put his arms out to stop the fall.

"Ouch! Good job, tsundere."

Reina rubbed her head as she propped herself up on her elbow. She blushed when she realized how close they were; Castiel was hovering over her, his arms caging her in between his body and the gym floor.

Castiel didn't know what was happening. Perhaps it was the way that Reina's eyes widened in surprise or the way that her lips were pouting slightly; maybe it was the way she was looking to the side, an obvious blush gracing her cheeks. She shyly looked at him and Castiel's heart raced. Without thinking, Castiel leaned in and captured Reina's lips in a kiss, loving the gasped that escaped Reina's lips.

Reina's mind was reeling as Castiel kissed her, his lips working against hers. Her hand came to push against his shoulder and she wanted to tell him to stop but all thoughts of resisting disappeared when Castiel's arm wrapped around her torso and pulled her against him, the other wrapping her arms around his neck. Reina pulled away from the kiss, her lungs screaming for air, and she bit back a groan when Castiel's lips connected with her neck, leaving a trail of kisses towards her ear.

"A-ah, wait, Castiel!"

Castiel loved how Reina shivered when his teeth grazed her ear lobe; he bit back a pleased groan as she let out a soft whine when he nibbled on her ear.

"Castiel, wait!"

Reina pushed against Castiel and he pulled away, obviously annoyed at the interruption. Reina's cheeks were beautifully flushed and her eyes were slightly clouded, though they were beginning to clear up.

"What?" Castiel asked impatiently.

Reina scooted away from Castiel.

"Why? Why did you kiss me?"

Castiel frowned in annoyance,

"Do I need a reason to kiss you?" He smirked, "Don't tell me that was your first kiss."

Reina blushed but she kept her expression firm. Although she couldn't deny that she liked kissing Castiel, she didn't want it to be a one-time thing and she certainly didn't want him to think she was easy.

"A kiss is a serious thing. You can't just go around kissing whoever you want."

"Why not? You liked it."

Castiel reached for Reina but she stood up and stepped away, her eyes full of hurt.

"That's not what I meant."

"Then tell me you didn't like the kiss."

Reina's gaze fell to the floor. Castiel rolled his eyes; girls were always so sensitive. He stood up and walked over to her, dipping down to kiss her again, but Reina broke away from him.

"Don't kiss me if you don't like me."

Castiel frowned as Reina walked away.


	9. Chapter 9

Lysander found Castiel at his usual spot under the tree; he seemed lost in thought, and it amazed Lysander. He wondered what had happened that would make Castiel do such a thing.

"What are you thinking about?"

Castiel didn't bother glancing up. Lysander followed Castiel's gaze and smiled when he saw that Reina was the object of his intense stare.

"Oh, you're romantically interested in Reina."

Castiel sputtered indignantly while Lysander laughed.

"I do _not_ like her! She's flat-chested and annoying!"

"So you've taken note of her personality and checked her out, too? You know, this would make a great song."

Castiel grumbled and Lysander took out his notepad, jotting down a few things onto the paper. His eyes narrowed dangerously when Nathaniel approached Reina.

Nathaniel felt Castiel's intense stare and he couldn't help but feel a bit pleased with himself.

"Hi, Nathaniel."

"Hey. Can I sit here?"

"Sure."

Reina scooted over and Nathaniel sat beside her on the bench, taking out his own lunch.

"Can you believe it's almost summer break? What are you going to do this summer?"

Reina hummed as she chewed thoughtfully on her food.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll go to the beach. I'm thinking about getting a job, too."

Nathaniel nodded,

"That'd be nice. It sounds better than my summer."

"Really? What are you doing?"

"Summer school," Nathaniel grimaced, "My dad wants me to get a head start on college so he enrolled me into some freshman level classes."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Nathaniel laughed at Reina's response.

"Don't say it like that. You'll make me feel worse."

"Sorry!"

Reina and Nathaniel laughed. Meanwhile, Castiel was feeling annoyed. What was Nathaniel saying that was making Reina smile like that? He couldn't hear a thing but the way Reina playfully smacked Nathaniel's arm spoke volumes. Castiel angrily bit off the end of his sandwich and looked away.

"I don't know why she lets that guy suck up to her."

Lysander chuckled, amused.

"Jealousy is a trait of romantic interest, you know."

Castiel grumbled.

After school, Reina gathered her things and left the building. She wondered what to eat for dinner and she wondered where she could apply for a summer job. She was surprised to see Castiel leaning against the school gate; she couldn't help but admire how good he looked but she shook her head to get rid of those thoughts. Castiel saw her and he straightened; Reina wondered if he was waiting for her.

"Hey."

"Hi."

Reina warily regarded him as she passed by and walked down the sidewalk. Castiel matched her pace and they walked in awkward silence.

"What are you doing?" Reina asked.

"Going to a club."

Reina gaped at Castiel, shocked.

"You're a clubber?"

Castiel clicked his tongue at her and he poked her temple, pushing hard enough to cause her to stumble.

"Do I really look like that type of person? I got a gig tonight."

Reina cocked her head to the side and Castiel felt best rush to his face. Reina looked irresistibly cute with that confused expression on her face.

"Oh, that's right. You said you had a guitar."

Reina stopped at the park and told Castiel that she was going a different way. He insisted that the club he was going to was in the same direction but when Reina have him a skeptical look, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her into the park. Reina wondered why Castiel was acting so strangely. She looked down at Castiel's grip on her wrist and noted that he was holding her rather gently, which was something unexpected.

"That's my apartment."

Reina pointed to a tall building ahead.

"Which floor?"

"The fifteenth-hey, where are you going?"

"I'm walking you home, dummy."

Reina was speechless and didn't resist as Castiel pulled her into the elevator and pressed the button for the fifteenth floor. Reina stood one side of the elevator while Castiel stood on the other with his arms crossed across his chest. Reina shifted uncomfortably; Castiel's dark eyes were staring at her.

Reina led Castiel to the front of her apartment.

"Well, this is my stop," she fidgeted hesitantly, "Do you want a drink or something?"

"No, thanks. I'm going home now."

"Don't you have that gig?"

Castiel tsk-ed as he walked away.

"What gig?" He muttered.

Reina stared at him in shock as he disappeared into the elevator. As she unlocked the door, she realized that Castiel had just walked her home. She didn't know why, but her heart was thinking wildly at the thought.

"He's such a tsundere..."


	10. Chapter 10

It was finally summer, and Reina found a job working at the general goods store. The owner, Joe, eagerly hired her on the spot when she asked if he had at openings.

"A pretty girl like you will attract customers!" He reasoned.

Reina sighed as she stacked the cans of dog food on the shelf. She stared at the dog on the label of the can and realized that it looked a lot like Demon, Castiel's dog. She remembered Castiel giving her permission to go visit Demon but after what happened at the gym, she wasn't too sure if she should go.

"Wow, you can organize shelves. You should come organize my room, then."

Reina looked up and saw Nathaniel grinning at her.

"Hey, Nathaniel. I thought you didn't like dogs?"

"I'm here for the cat food. I found some strays near the school and I wanted to feed them."

"Oh. Well, here you go. The dry cat food will be easier to carry around with you."

"Thanks, Reina. You sound like a real professional."

Reina chuckled at Nathaniel's comment.

"How's summer school?"

Nathaniel sighed,

"It's not bad, but it's terribly boring. Everything is just a review of last summer's classes."

She wondered why Nathaniel's eyes suddenly narrowed and she looked behind her; Castiel was standing at the end of the aisle.

"Hey, get me some Kennel dog food."

Reina glanced at the empty spot on the shelf,

"Sorry, but-"

"Just bring it to my house later then."

"Huh? But I-"

Castiel took a few steps and pressed a piece of paper into her palm before walking away. Reina and Nathaniel blinked in surprise. Nathaniel sighed and shook his head,

"Sometimes, I don't get that guy. Anyway, thanks for the product recommendation, Reina."

"Sure, no problem. Bye, Nathaniel!"

Reina looked at the paper Castiel had given to her and her heart skipped a few beats; his address and phone number were written on it.

Reina sighed in relief when she set the bag of dog food on the front step of Castiel's house. Castiel lived a few blocks away from Reina's apartment but the bag of dog food was heavier than expected. She double checked the house number to make sure it was correct before she rang the doorbell. She heard the sound of a dog barking from inside and she heard Castiel's rough voice. The door opened and Castiel stood in the doorway in a green muscle shirt and sweats. He looked a bit surprised but he became amused when he saw the bag of dog food at Reina's feet.

"You actually brought it? I would've come back the next day to buy it, you know."

Reina held up the paper that Castiel handed to her,

"Then what's this?"

Castiel shrugged,

"Just to see if you'd actually come."

Reina felt her brow twitching in annoyance.

"Fine then, I guess I'll leave this here and just go home."

Reina heard whining from behind the door and she spied Demon's nose poking out from behind Castiel's leg. Her fingers twitched; she wanted to pet him. Castiel shifted uneasily as Demon nudged him from behind. He glanced back at the dog, cursing him for his puppy eyes.

"You might as well come in for a while. Demon looks like he really wants to see you."

Reina stopped herself from clapping her hands and exclaiming happily. She cleared her throat and shrugged casually.

"Sure, I guess."

Castiel shooed Demon away from the door and opened it wider so that Reina could step in.

Reina was surprised by the extremely clean house. She expected the house to be dirty and smelly-that's what happened whenever her father took charge of the house for a few hours when Reina went out to run errands-but it was the exact opposite.

"You seem surprised."

"I am. It's so...clean."

Castiel snorted,

"I'm offended."

She gave him a crooked smile and his heart leapt. Demon's tail was wagging happily as Reina hugged him and kissed him. Castiel ignored the sight and he went over to the refrigerator to grab two bottles of soda. He set them down on the coffee table and flopped down on the couch and turned on the tv in an attempt to divert his attention from Reina.

"What are you watching?"

"A reality show about surviving in the wild."

Reina chuckled and scratched Demon's ears,

"Interesting. I didn't think you liked that kind of stuff."

Reina sat on the opposite end of the couch and Demon sat in between them, giving Castiel a snarky glance as he laid his head on Reina's lap. Castiel's brow twitched and he mentally willed himself not to stare at Reina.

He couldn't help it, though. The way Reina cuddled with Demon and whispered to him made him jealous. He wondered if she could treat him as gently as she treated Demon. Castiel shifted in his seat and wondered if he should offer anything to eat.

"Hey, Belle, want-"

Reina's head was resting against the arm of the couch and Demon was curled up in her lap; Reina had fallen asleep. Demon whined as Castiel scooted over and lifted him up so that Castiel was sitting beside Reina. He tsk-ed as he brushed some hair out of Reina's face and covered her with his jacket that was nearby. His fingers couldn't help but brush against her cheek; Reina looked beautiful. Castiel felt his cheeks flush as his heart raced.

Hot damn, he was in love with Reina Belle.


	11. Chapter 11

Castiel sighed as he and Lysander walked along the boardwalk. It was a hot weekend and Castiel was sweating like crazy.

"Why are we here again?" He asked grumpily.

"For musical inspiration. Besides, isn't it a nice day to be out at the beach?"

"...Rosalya made you come, huh?"

"Yeah."

The two boys sighed and they leaned against the railing, Castiel facing the beach while Lysander faced the opposite direction. He spotted Rosalya and Reina on the beach and he was just about to nudge Lysander when he saw Rosalya take off her dress, revealing a rather bold strappy one-piece. She motioned to Reina and Castiel blushed as she tentatively took off her tank top and slipped her shorts off, revealing a royal purple bikini. Castiel covered his nose in case he was having a bloody nose; Reina looked unexpectedly sexy in her bikini and she wasn't as flat-chested as he thought she was.

"Oh, it looks like the girls are here. Let's go, Castiel."

Castiel silently nodded and tried to calm himself down as he followed Lysander to the beach.

Rosalya waved to the boys as they approached and Reina's eyes lit up; a shirtless Castiel was worth a trip to the beach. She cleared her throat and hoped that Castiel didn't notice her staring; on the other hand, Castiel wasn't exactly making eye contact with Reina either. Lysander seemed slightly embarrassed by Rosalya's choice of swimsuit,

"Does my brother know you're wearing that?"

"Of course he does. He's the one who picked it out for me."

Reina sweatdropped,

"I thought Leigh works at the clothing store..."

"It's called fashion, Reina." Rosalya replied, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

Rosalya linked arms with Reina and she tugged her towards the ocean, leaving the two boys behind with their things.

"Didn't Reina look lovely?" Lysander asked playfully, nudging Castiel's side.

"...Yeah."

Lysander chuckled and nodded towards the water,

"I guess we'd better follow them."

Rosalya and Reina had stopped and they were taking to Iris and Melody. Castor frowned when he saw Nathaniel approaching.

"Wow, seems like everyone is here today." He remarked casually.

Castiel rolled his eyes; Nathaniel was being a people-pleaser, like always.

"It's nice to see everyone together outside of school, though. It's a refreshing change!" Iris chimed.

Nathaniel and Castiel eyed each other before turning their attention to Reina, who was casually talking with the other girls.

"Iris, you look really cute in that one-piece! It really shows off your long legs!" Rosalya said expertly.

Iris blushed,

"T-thanks, Rosalya."

"Hey, there's an ice cream truck over there. We should go get some!" Melody suggested.

Everyone agreed and the group made its way over to the boardwalk. Castiel tugged on Reina's hair and she winced. She turned to him with a frown on her face; he was walking alongside of her.

"That was rude."

"Would you rather me get your attention in a flashier way?" Reina shivered when his fingers brushed against the small of her back, "Anyway, you're not as flat-chested as I thought you were. It's surprising."

Reina's cheeks were red and Castiel delighted in the fact that she was embarrassed. He also relished the fact that Reina was shyly glancing at him.

"You're such a guy."

"Of course. What else do you expect me to be?"

Reina glanced at Castiel when they got to the ice cream truck; everyone seemed to be walking in pairs except for Nathaniel, who almost seemed to be leading the group. As luck would have it, Reina and Castiel were stuck in the back.

"Are you going to get anything?" She asked.

"Ice cream is too sweet."

Reina shrugged and stepped up to the window when it was her turn to order.

"Can I have one scoop of vanilla on a cone?"

"Sure, miss."

Reina handed the money to the vendor and she licked the ice cream; she was pleasantly surprised at how flavorful it was.

"Is it good?" Castiel asked.

Reina nodded and she gasped when Castiel grasped the hand holding the ice cream cone and he pulled Reina against him, his tongue sliding out to taste the ice cream. Reina gulped and glanced around, hoping that no one was watching.

"You're so dramatic, always doing embarrassing things!" Reina sighed.

Castiels gaze met hers,

"But you like it."

Reina pursed her lips and Castiel laughed softly.

"Reina! Castiel! Hurry up! We're going swimming!" Iris called.

The ocean water was cool and crisp; Nathaniel and Castiel were engaged in an all-out water fight while the girls and Lysander lounged on inflatable tubes. Reina couldn't help but sigh and shake her head as Nathaniel and Castiel argued over whose splashes were more powerful, but if she didn't know better, she assumed that Nathaniel enjoyed pushing Castiel's buttons.

"It's a good thing I put on sunblock. I don't think Leigh would like it very much if I got tan." Rosalya said.

"Would he even notice such a thing?" Lysander asked.

"That's true. Boys aren't very observant about details." Melody sighed, glancing at Nathaniel.

"I beg to differ. I pay attention to detail." Lysander snorted.

"But you're a poet and a song writer, Lys. You don't count."

Reina yelped when her tube was suddenly flipped over and she found herself in the water. She swam up and glared at Castiel, who was holding her tube.

"What was that for?" She asked.

"I'm tired, and you were the closest person."

She deadpanned and glanced around. It was obvious that Lysander and Iris were the closest to where he was before.

"Castiel, if you like me, just tell me." She teased.

"S-stupid! Who would like you?"

"You would~"

Despite her teasing tone, she found herself blushing from her words. With a sigh and a red face, Reina swam back towards the shore and went to go sit at her beach towel. She yawned, feeling tired from having soaked up too much sun, and she rubbed her eyes, wishing she could sleep.

"Hey, you're pretty cute," Reina's eyes shot up, "Hi, I'm Dake."

Reina had to admit that Dake was hot. He had dirty blonde hair that was tied into a short ponytail and a tribal tattoo on his bicep.

"Um...thanks?"

"Wanna go on a walk with me? I'm pretty new around here so a tour would be helpful."

"Actually-"

Reina didn't get a chance to further explain herself; Dake had already pulled her up and he dragged her towards the boardwalk.

"So what do you like to do, miss...?"

Dake looked at her expectantly.

"...Reina."

"Reina. That's a lovely name. So what do you like to do?"

Reina thought back to Demon,

"I like playing with dogs."

"Really? That's nice. As for me, I like playing with dolphins. Back in Australia, I-"

"Ehh? You used to live in Australia?"

"That's right. This is my first week here."

Reina was amazed; no wonder Dake was so hot.

It turned out that Dake wasn't who Reina thought he was. Rather than being cool and calm, he was rather flirty and easily excited.

"Reina, look! Those stuffed animals are cute! Let's go play that game!"

Reina sighed as she followed Dake; it was like babysitting a little puppy.

"Hey."

Reina had never been more relieved to see Castiel.

"H-hey, babe! What took you so long?"

Castiel gave her a weird look but Dake immediately noticed his presence.

"Oh? Reina, you had a boyfriend? Why didn't you tell me?" Dake put his arm around Reina's shoulder and pulled her against him, "Thanks for letting me borrow her."

Castiel's brow jerked in annoyance but Reina broke away from Dake and grasped Castiel's hand.

"I hope you had fun! Come on, let's go...babe."

Reina hurriedly pulled Castiel away from Dake.

Castiel stared at his hand, amused. He didn't mind that he liked the feeling of Reina's hand around his.

"How long are you going to hold my hand?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry..."

"Forget it. Let's go."

Castiel took Reina to a park by the beach and he took her to the swings.

"Thanks for saving me, Castiel."

"I didn't do anything. I do expect payment, though."

"Huh?!"

Reina saw that Castiel was serious but there was an amused glow in his eyes. She fidgeted and nibbled on her bottom lip.

"Honestly..." Castiel sighed.

He pulled her to him and he kissed her, his hands on her waist.

"You don't like kissing me?" He murmured against her lips.

"It's not that..." Reina replied, pulling away slightly.

Castiel rolled his eyes and sighed. Women were damn complicated.

"You're so dense. I'm kissing you because I like you. Got it?"

Castiel was blushing and Reina was surprised. She didn't expect for his words to make her so happy. She smiled and Castiel blushed even harder.

"Dummy, you're supposed to say 'I like you, too' or something like that."

"What if I don't?"

"That's your own damn problem."

Castiel pressed a kiss behind Reina's ear as she laughed. She hugged Castiel and he froze at the sudden action.

"You're such a tsundere. That's why I like you."

Castiel sighed and awkwardly and put his arms around Reina.

"I still don't know what that means."


	12. Chapter 12

"Um...hi, dad."

Mr. Belle blinked as he stared at his daughter and a red-haired boy. They were sitting uncomfortably close to each other on the couch and his arm was around her shoulders while a show was playing on the tv.

"Who's this, Reina?" Mr. Belle tried to sound polite.

"This is Castiel Levine. He's my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Mr. Belle asked.

Castiel could feel the heat of Mr. Belle's stare and he shifted uncomfortably. He never was very good with adults. Reina nudged his side, drawing his attention to her, and she nodded in her father's direction. Castiel cringed.

"Hello...sir. It's nice to meet you."

Castiel stood and shook Mr. Belle's hand.

"Likewise, Mr. Levine."

Reina cleared her throat and got up from her spot on the couch,

"Well, gentlemen, why don't you two get acquainted while I go make dinner?"

She smiled nervously and disappeared into the kitchen. Mr. Belle stole glanced at the red-haired boy as he sat down on the opposite end of the couch.

"So...Castiel. Do you arm wrestle?"

Reina was alarmed when she heard loud grunts and shouting. She ran from the kitchen and was about to yell at the two males when she saw them sitting at the kitchen table, elbows on the table, and hand in hand. Reina sweat dropped but she watched as Castiel pushed her father's arm closer and closer to the table until, with a burst of strength, Reina's father pushed Castiel's arm flat on the table.

"Good grief! C'mon, one more round! I'm not losing to a kid!"

"Bring it on!"

The two males clasped hands again and began another round of arm-wrestling. With an assured smile, Reina returned to the kitchen.

It was odd that Castiel and her father were getting along so well. Over dinner, Reina was quiet and she observed the two males as they chattered about rock music and electric guitars. Reina stared at her father in shock as he reminisced his youth days.

"When I was young, I was a part of a group called Skull Hunters. I was the bassist but luckily, my band gave me big parts so the bass stood out more than usual."

Castiel took in every story eagerly and his eyes were wide like a child that had just seen the most amazing thing in the world.

After dinner, Reina's father declared that he was going out to get some ice cream and a movie and Castiel agreed that it was a good idea. Reina dragged Castiel to the kitchen to help her with the dishes.

"Your dad is seriously the most awesome adult I've ever met."

Reina gave a bored shrug.

"That's nice."

Castiel glanced at her and stopped rinsing the dishes.

"What's up?" Reina's brows furrowed, "I thought girls liked it when their boyfriend and dad got along."

"Yeah, but...it's not what I expected."

She squirmed when Castiel wrapped his arms around her from behind and pressed his lips behind her ear.

"I'm sorry, were you feeling left out? You should've said something."

Reina bit her lip and sighed softly as Castiel's lips trailed down to her neck. He turned her to face him and he kissed her fully on the lips, her arms wrapping around his neck.

Reina frowned when she broke the kiss for air.

"No fair. I can't stay mad at you this way."

Castiel chuckled and pressed another kiss to her lips.

"Good."


	13. Chapter 13

"I like you, Reina."

"Huh?"

Reina didn't get a chance to respond. Nathaniel was kissing her.

Unlike Castiel's kisses, Nathaniel's kiss was hard and filled with yearning. Reina felt overwhelmed and her knees bucked; seizing the opportunity, Nathaniel wrapped an arm around Reina's waist and pulled her against him. Somewhere in the back of Reina's mind, an alarm was ringing and she brought her hands up to push him away.

Suddenly, Nathaniel was whipped away from Reina and Reina only heard a whoosh of air before she realized that Castiel had pumped Nathaniel soundly in the jaw.

"Castiel!" Reina gasped.

"Don't fucking touch my girlfriend!"

Nathaniel easily fended off Castiel's punched and he managed to land a punch on Castiel's shoulder. The two boys were causing a scene.

"Wait, stop!"

Reina got in between the boys and she pushed Castiel back to avoid Nathaniel's blows.

"Stop? Why? He was kissing you!"

Castiel's eyes were filled with fury while Nathaniel's were filled with challenge and defiance.

Nathaniel reached out for Reina's arm but she moved from his reach.

"Nathaniel, what's gotten into you?"

"I mean it, Reina. I like you. You should be with me, not him!"

Reina was confused but she managed to pull Castiel away from the scene. They went to the park and Castiel kicked a tree, muttering curses under his breath. Reina's mind swirled as she sat on a bench and watched Castiel take out his anger on the tree. Nathaniel liked her? Reina shook her head. She wondered where things went wrong; Nathaniel was only a friend to her.

"Hey."

Reina looked up and Castiel kissed her deeply. Castiel pulled her into his arms and pulled her against him.

"Castiel," Reina gasped, "we're in public."

"I don't give a damn. I need to erase that guy from your mind."

Reina squeaked when Castiel squeezed her hips and Reina blushed when he nipped her ear.

"Castiel, I don't like him. I like you."

Something flashed in Castiel's eyes and he frowned, pulling away from Reina.

"You'd better go back to class."

"But what about you?"

"Forget it. I'm going home."

Reina stood speechless as Castiel walked away and left her alone in the park.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: **Hello, my lovely readers! Finally, a new update! I'm sorry for the lack of updates! I'm going to be (trying to) focusing on this story and on my other story (Irresistible Accident) because I feel like these two stories need to come to some sort of end before I can move on with other stories. I don't like to leave my lovely readers hanging with an unfinished story! So updates won't be regular but I'll do my best to write satisfying endings and tie up the stories nicely. Happy reading!

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><p>It had been two weeks since Castiel had spoken to Reina. She was beginning to grow annoyed at Castiel for giving her the silent treatment and whenever she saw him at school, she resisted the urge to punch him in the face. Their behavior didn't go unnoticed by their fellow classmates.<p>

"Are you and that guy alright?"

Reina pursed her lips when Nathaniel approached her at her locker. The last thing she wanted to do was get involved with the guy who started the whole thing.

"We're fine, Nathaniel. Castiel just needs a little space."

Nathaniel sighed and followed Reina to class,

"He's awfully uncaring for a boyfriend. You know, winter formal is coming up. Maybe we could go as friends."

Reina stopped in the middle of the doorway and stared at Nathaniel in shock. Did he really just say that?

"You do realize that it's the girl's choice?"

"Which is why I'm putting it out there as a friendly suggestion."

Nathaniel was suddenly shoved aside and Reina froze when she saw Castiel. It had been a while since she'd seen him up close. He took her hand and led her to her seat before he went to his, giving her a glance before he sat down and turned his attention to the window.

A part of Reina was happy that Castiel had initiated something but the rest of her was still frustrated with him for keeping such a distance. She stared at her hand; the warmth of Castiel's hand still lingered and she looked at him. She had to figure out a way to win his trust again.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: **sorry if Castiel is ooc...but hey, even bad boys and tsunderes have tender moments, right?

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><p>Castiel tossed and turned uncomfortably in bed, the day's events replaying in his head. It had been a while since he'd been so close to Reina, and holding her hand for that brief moment was enough to send his heart into overdrive.<p>

He missed her.

But there was something tugging at his heart. Memories of Deborah came flowing into his head and the thought of betrayal loomed over him. He remembered how Nathaniel was all over Deborah. He remembered how Deborah broke up with him for money. He remembered how easily he was played, like a guitar with worn-out strings.

Castiel's phone buzzed and he looked at it. Reina was calling. He thought about rejecting her call but decided to answer it instead.

"Hello?"

"Castiel?"

"What do you want?"

A pause.

"I want to see you."

Castiel bit his bottom lip. Was it such a good idea to see her now?

"It's late."

"It's know but...I'm already outside..."

"What?"

Castiel jumped out of bed and ran to the front door. Demon jumped awake from his spot on the couch and raced to Castiel's side in case there was danger.

Castiel hurriedly unlocked the front door and swung it open. Sure enough, Reina was standing at his door step in nothing but a pair of shorts and a camisole. Castiel frowned and quickly pulled her inside.

"Are you crazy? Do you know what could happen to you if you stood outside at this time of night dressed like that?"

Reina gave him a small smile,

"It's nice to know that you still care."

Castiel clicked his tongue and crossed his arms across his chest, trying his best not to look at the amount of skin Reina was showing. After not being close to her for so long, Reina was a sight for sore eyes.

Reina kissed Demon's nose and patted his head.

"Hey, boy, I missed you."

Castiel sighed,

"You didn't miss me?" He retorted.

Reina looked up at him with serious eyes,

"I've missed you for the past two weeks. Even now, I still miss you."

Castiel's brows furrowed. He knew that she'd missed him; he saw it in her eyes when they passed each other in the hallway at school.

"You're stupid to miss me."

Reina shrugged,

"That's fine with me. Can I sleep with you, Castiel?"

Her sudden question caught him off guard. Castiel cursed himself for turning a bright shade of red.

"What the hell?"

"Not like that. I mean...I just want to be near you."

Castiel shook his head; damn his weak will for not being able to refuse.

Castiel took Reina's hand and led her to his room. He climbed into bed and Reina silently followed, surprising Castiel when she snuggled into his chest. Castiel wrapped his arms around Reina and sighed as he pulled the comforter over their bodies. She felt nice. Reina looked up at Castiel and she stroked his cheek.

"What have you been thinking about these past two weeks?"

"Deborah...Nathaniel...you."

"I see. I'm sorry if I did anything wrong."

"No...it's just that..."

Reina saw the flash of pain that flickered in Castiel's eyes. She remembered how Deborah used him and Nathaniel and it began to make sense. Castiel was afraid of getting hurt again.

Reina wrapped her arms around Castiel's neck and kissed him, surprising him.

"I don't love Nathaniel. I love you. I won't ever love anyone as much as I love you. And I won't ever leave you. I promise."

She kissed him again and this time, he responded with a passionate kiss. Castiel managed to gather his thoughts as he ran his hand along Reina's bare leg, smirking when he felt her shiver. He didn't doubt that she would willingly give herself to him if he asked her to, but when he thought about Deborah again, he had second thoughts.

"You really should put on more clothes, though. You're way too tempting in this situation."

Reina seemed to read his mind,

"You don't want to take advantage of me and regret it."

Castiel pinched Reina's nose and she pouted at him.

"I would love to ravish you but...I think I could wait."

Reina smiled brightly at him and she kissed him.

"Thank you, Castiel."

Reina got out of bed and plucked a red shirt from his closet. Castiel couldn't take his eyes off her; his shirt barely covered her shorts and it seemed like she wasn't wearing anything underneath. Castiel felt a strange surge of pride flowing through his veins when Reina climbed back into bed and snuggled into his chest.

"I love you," he murmured.


	16. Chapter 16

"Winter formal? With you? Forget it!"

Reina felt like a vein was going to pop in frustration. No matter how many times she asked, no matter what method she used, Castiel refused to go to winter formal with her.

"Why not? We'll be seniors next year and then we'll be too old to do anything anymore!"

"Old? Speak for yourself. I'm still smokin' hot."

Reina punched Castiel's arm but he simply grinned at her.

"Fine! I'll go with Violet or Iris! At least they'll want to go with me."

"Suit yourself."

Reina walked away, huffing angrily at Castiel's stubbornness.

During lunch, Reina was still fuming with anger over Castiel's rejection. He was her boyfriend! How could he turn her down so easily? She stabbed a steamed carrot with her fork and angrily bit it. Rosalya excitedly skipped over to her and hugged her tightly.

"Guess what? A new shipment of dresses came in to Leigh's shop today! He's letting me get first dibs!"

"Really? That's so sweet of him...unlike someone red-haired boyfriend that I know."

Rosalya didn't seem to hear her,

"Isn't it? Anyway, I want you to come with me!"

Reina was happy that Rosalya had thought of her but she couldn't brush away the suspicious feeling that was crawling over her shoulders.

"Are you sure you're not using Leigh as an excuse to dress me up?"

"What? Of course not! Anyway, we can go after school today, okay?"

Reina rolled her eyes but she was thankful that she wouldn't have to look too hard for a dress. Leigh's shop always had cute clothes.

When Rosalya and Reina arrived at Leigh's shop, he greeted them at the door and locked it as he led them to the back room. Rosalya danced around with excitement as Leigh unboxed multiple dresses and hung them on a long clothes rack. Reina admired the dresses and she couldn't help but touch them; they were so luxurious and unique.

"Did you get the dress I wanted, Leigh?" Rosalya asked.

"It's right here."

Leigh pulled out a smaller box and Rosalya squealed when Leigh pulled out a red dress. She hugged Leigh and immediately held the dress against Reina's body.

"I had this personally ordered just for you! Go try it on!"

Reina felt slightly embarrassed when she tried the dress on. It was a bold color and she felt like she drew too much attention to herself, especially because red was such a sexy color. Rosalya dressed her up in a bold statement necklace and chandelier earrings while Leigh brought a pair of white strappy heels for her to wear.

"This is...:

"It's wonderful! Castiel will love seeing you in this! You're going to thank me later!"

Reina had to agree; Castiel would definitely have a hard time keeping his eyes off her if he were to ever see her.

"It must be expensive," Reina murmured.

"I'll give you a discount, Reina. After all, you are are high school student and Rosalya's friend."

"Thanks, Leigh. I'll pay you when I get my next paycheck."

"I have a great idea! Why don't you come get ready here with me?" Rosalya asked.

"Here?"

"Sure! I'm helping Leigh get ready anyway so I'd love to help dress you up!"

"Leigh is coming to the dance, too? But isn't he...older?"

"It's fine! The principal gave me a guest pass when I asked for permission to bring Leigh."

"I see. Well...I guess I could come by tomorrow..."

"Great! Oh, I can't wait!"


	17. Chapter 17

AN: I'm alive! Well, here's the final chapter. Thank you to my lovely readers and followers for sticking with me and this story. Honestly, I'm glad this story is done because I'm completely out of ideas for now. Time for a break! Anyway, I apologize if Castiel is ooc but I think fluff is the best thing in the world so here it is! and I'm so sorry for the terrible and cheesy ending OTL

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><p>Reina was greeted with gasps and compliments when she arrived at the location for the winter formal. Rosalya did her hair and makeup but sent her ahead because she and Leigh were going to be late.<p>

"Reina, you look wonderful!"

"The dress suits you perfectly, Reina."

Winter formal was being held in the nearby park. Lights were draped from the trees and candles lit up the pathway that led to the dance floor that was laid out in front of a large gazebo.

Iris wore a long strapless lavender dress while Violet wore a short pink dress with a sparkling top. Melody wore a baby blue spaghetti strap dress and Kim wore a long sleeve green dress that was backless. Ken wore a dress shirt and dress pants with a black vest while Armin and Alexy wore matching outfits with white vests. Nathaniel was dressed in a smooth white suit while Amber wore a sparkling white dress; Charlotte and Li both wore yellow dresses while Capucine wore a purple dress and Peggy wore a green strapless jumpsuit. Rosalya and Leigh were fashionably late, dressed in a daring white dress and a black suit with with black tail coat.

Reina looked around. Where was Lysander and Castiel? She wondered if they both decided to skip the winter formal. She shook her head and decided that she shouldn't be surprised if they were home instead. Bright lights turned on and all the attention was focused on the gazebo. Lysander took the mic while Castiel was on the electric guitar and Nathaniel somehow made his way to the stage and was sitting behind a drumset. Reina was drawn towards Castiel and she made her way to the front as Lysander began to sing an upbeat song. Everyone crowded around the gazebo and cheered as the band played on. Lysander was dressed in a silk suit with a black tail coat while Castiel wore a dark gray suit. His hair was slicked back and Reina blushed; he looked mature and handsome.

He saw her and he grinned, causing Reina to roll her eyes. After the song ended, Castiel handed the guitar to Lysander and he stepped down, wrapping his arms around Reina's waist.

"You're a jerk." She said.

He kissed her,

"But you like it."

They unconsciously began to sway to the music as Lysander crooned a ballad and everyone else followed suit, partnering up and slow dancing.

"You look damn good tonight. I didn't know you were so bold. Definitely not flat chested."

Reina rolled her eyes and she smoothed the fabric on the shoulder of Castiel's suit jacket.

"You look pretty good yourself. I think I like this look on you

Lysander ended the song and switched guitars before he began to sing another song.

"Were you planning to come to the winter formal whether I asked you or not?" Reina asked.

"Yeah, I had to. Lysander made me swear a few months ago."

Reina giggled and she brushed her thumb across Castiel's cheek as they gazed into each other's eyes. He couldn't hide his blush so he kissed her to hide his embarrassment.

He looked at her and decided that she was worth fighting for. Despite their arguments and troubles, she stayed with him and reassured him. Thinking back to Deborah, Castiel finally understood the difference between them. Deborah was manipulative; Reina was not.

"You're a jerk, you know that? I can't believe you turned down your own girlfriend."

"What, you think you can tame me after spending a night at my place?"

Reina rolled her eyes and she arched her brow when Castiel reached into his pocket. He seemed nervous.

Carefully, Castiel slipped a ring onto Reina's middle finger on her left hand. It was a plain silver band and Reina's eyes widened in surprise. She gave him a questioning look.

"Lysander told me about something that couples do in South Korea where they have couple rings...I figured you would like something stupid and cheesy like that..."

Reina was grinning from ear to ear.

"And where's yours?"

Castiel looked around to make sure no one was watching before he pulled out his necklace. A plain silver band hung on the chain and Reina felt a wave of happiness washing over her.

"Thank you, Castiel. I love it."

"Don't get me wrong; it's not like we're getting married or anything! But...I appreciate you for staying by my side and...for having faith in me. I love you, Reina."

Reina's smile softened and she brought his hand up to cup her cheek.

"I love you, too, Castiel."

He couldn't hide his smile and he leaned in to kiss her. Reina met him halfway and they kissed under the fireworks as a promise to never give up in each other.


End file.
